


chasing rainbows

by swallows (toska)



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Friendship, Gen, actual jasmine/volkner, featuring: snarky messages back home + unrealistic expectations and a wholesome coming of age, light prelude of the whitney/morty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-18
Updated: 2018-12-18
Packaged: 2019-09-21 18:02:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17047985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toska/pseuds/swallows
Summary: —on a quest to discover her shine, whitney takes a page out of jasmine's book and throws herself into a journey of self discovery.





	chasing rainbows

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sasspan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sasspan/gifts).



> hello sasspan! happy holidays, i hope you are doing well and enjoy this gift!

**chasing rainbows**

— whitney throws herself into adventure.  

 

.

 

**part one: johto**

 

.

 

Despite all it’s big and bustling buildings— Goldenrod City did in fact, not hold the tallest building. That title belongs to Ectruteak’s Bell Tower. Whitney always forgets this, until she gets there. The light smog from the city replaced by fog and mist all clamber tightly around the building and intertwine with the trees.

It’s not her usual sort of scene at all— but Whitney has always been a romantic sort of girl and the Bell Tower held romantic sort of mythic beasts. And as much as Whitney fancies tales of romance and tragic fires, and faithful pokemon, she wants more. 

Whitney wants. She wants glitz, she want’s glamour; she wants shine. Goldenrod, unfortunately isn’t truly the golden epicenter of the Pokemon world, and she can’t sit around waiting for it to shine again. It’s a legendary radio town, full of radio dramas and talk shows, and trivia quizzes to pester Morty about after dark.  

Morty’s good at the quizzes, but he never really bothers, since the nighttime involves catching ghosts, and catching ghosts involves silence, and Whitney’s never been good at silence. (Also because the last time Whitney tried to play the radio in the Burned Tower, Eusine and his strange sixth sense came hurdling in telling her off for disturbing the sanctity of the space. She can’t imagine what the Bell Tower would do to him).  

“I’m thinking about heading out,” She says. “Traveling.” 

“Visiting Jasmine again?” Morty inspects the old wood. Whitney thinks about Jasmine, who has just returned from her time at Sinnoh, shining bright with something that Whitney doesn’t understand.

“Nah. I’m going farther than that! On the ship to stardom, baby!”

“Good luck with that,” he says, his eyes focused on the sky above. Whitney shoves him with a huff. “Could you be anymore underwhelming?”

His eyes crinkle. “I think you’re overwhelming for the both of us.”

She turns towards him, the pout on her lips not matching the smile in her eyes. “Fair. Don’t miss me too much, Morty. I’ll still remember you when I’m famous.”

“Yeah, yeah.” 

 

. 

 

North of Johto lies the Sinnoh region. Whitney doesn’t know much about it, she’s traveling through the global terminal in Goldenrod. The terminal will take you straight to Jubilife City, and from there it’s time to tackle the world. She wonders why she never did this before, but she remembers accompanying Jasmine through the terminal back then. 

Jasmine went there, fingers tightly clutching the fabric of her dress. Whitney doesn’t remember much about that day, but she remembers how Jasmine returned.  _ That’s going to me _ , she thinks. Before she left, Jasmine handed her a letter to deliver in Sunnyshore. 

“A boyfriend?”

Like her steel pokemon, Jasmine sometimes can find herself at lost when she faces certain kinds of heat. Jasmine takes a deep breath, and lets out a strained smile. “Not quite.”

“Oh, scandalous!”

“ _ Whitney _ !”

 

. 

**part two: sinnoh**

 

Jubilife City is so vibrant it gives Whitney a headache. This is no fault of Jubilife City, but the terminal transportation. Whitney takes the headache reliever that Jasmine gave her, as she navigates through the town. There are no shortages of travelers and passersby in this city, despite the lack of gym, it’s  a hub for video and tech alike. 

Goldenrod is a large city, with Jubilife not so far behind. But Jubilife is different, modern in a way that Goldenrod is not. Despite towering department stores, fancy radio towers, and continental subways  Whitney has never fully thought of herself as a city girl. Goldenrod, has never felt much like a city, it’s felt like a community. She thinks of her Uncle’s farm nearby, of the National Park and the Pokeathlon Dome. 

Jubilife doesn’t have that. Bright screens and shiny buildings, and Whitney has heard talk of even bigger ones in Unova. She can’t even imagine that. She pulls out her radio, and finds herself at loss. The radio has always been her friend, but on this foreign land she finds her frequencies have become strangers. 

She changes the dial looking for her new temporary home.

She stops by the Jubilife TV because she’s not the type of girl who will wait for the camera to fall on her, and would just rather call the shots on her. Most gym leaders and Elite Four members tend to not disclose themselves when they go traveling, but she’s not here to blend into the background. She’s here to shine.

She takes a sponsorship deal with Poketech’s brand new Pokewatch, and smiles pretty. A few cute pokemon shoots later, she heads off. No matter where you go, traveling tends to stay the same. Whitney travels on foot, as she traverses through the region. There scenery in Sinnoh feels a lot more lush. There’s a fresh jar of honey from Floaroma town in her arm, as she travels on. 

There’s a Buneary she manages to catch as she travels the Eterna forest (Bugsy would love this place and she absolutely tells him so on the phone), it isn’t until she gets to Eterna City that she immediately backtracks into the woods.. There’s a story about the forest, an abandoned home sits there hidden behind a thick grove of trees. Whitney is many things, but she isn’t afraid of ghosts. That doesn’t stop her from dialing Morty anyways, and holding her Wigglytuff’s hand. 

_ “Um, hey Morty, what’s up? I’m doing great! There’s actually a haunted house here, no wait, it’s a  _ **_haunted chateau_ ** _ , which totally means its like next level haunted. Anyways you nerd, can, um, appliances be sentient? Can your pokemon possess one? Because if so! It’s not funny!!! Anyways, hope everything’s fine back home. It better be! I’m t-totally fine, later!” _

Whitney takes a deep breath. She’s fine. There totally wasn’t a little girl in here. Gardenia was right, this is creepy.  She shuffles around towards the dining room, taking a peek. This should be fine. As a child, she grew up in the heart of Goldenrod, speeding through the National Park to hang out with Morty and Eusine sometimes. Abandoned buildings were never this creepy where she was from. 

Maybe she’s a little afraid, the kind of fear that creeps up when you realize you are wandering an old haunted chateau that is absolutely next level haunted. It makes her miss the Burned Tower, wandering through it with Morty and Eusine during the occasional off day. It also helped having someone who was really adept at detecting ghost pokemon. 

Ghost pokemon might have frightened her as a child, but there is something comforting about normal pokemon being immune to them. Wigglytuff keeps her steady, foresight on and ears twitching, refusing to let her owner stay long enough to see a glowing portrait or poke at the flickering screen. 

It isn’t until Whitney is out of the forest that she lets herself take a break. Gardenia waits for her outside the city gates— Whitney isn’t very familiar with gym leaders outside of Kanto. (She’s met the Hoenn ones once, that’s how she received her once Skitty, now Delcatty, through Norman). 

There’s something about Gardenia that immediately puts Whitney at ease. The girl takes her towards the bike shop, and helps her snag a great rental deal.  “Do you want to go to the Resort town, too?” She asks. When Whitney declines, she smiles. “It must be nice to travel. You know, out of the gym, a gym leader is just another trainer. Call me, if you ever want to visit the Resort though! It’d be fun!”

Whitney grinned, readily agreeing, but for another matter it was a different story. She doesn’t feel like just another trainer. Her badge may have been plain, but she never felt that way. And her pokemon, most certainly not!!! When the trainer shined, the pokemon shined and vice versa. She puts that thought to the side and carries on. 

 

.

 

There are two ways to make it towards Hearthome. One allows you to traverse through a couple more towns, and the other involves traversing a few paths and roads. Regardless, you must traverse Mt. Coronet. It lies in the center of the region, the same way that mountains separate Johto and Kanto, it feels like the world she finds on the other side of that cave should be different. 

It’s not. There is a steady flow through Sinnoh, as she moves through the villages, a steady beat of familiarity as she passes through another region where myths and ruins intertwine with daily living. Whitney may have not traveled every route, nook and cranny that makes up Johto, but she still knows Johto. She knows the shrine in Ilex forest and how it looks a lot like the one here in Celestic Town. 

_ “Hey Morty, do you think Celebi could portal travel through shrines?” _

_ Sent: [Attached: Picture of the Shrine in Celestic town] _

_ “Slow down there on the travel methods.  I think it’s ability to time travel is enough.” _

_ “Oh pleeease.” _

She doesn’t stay in Celestic for long, just traveling on towards towards and this is where the homesickness starts to settle.  Solaceon town isn’t a big town, it’s not like Goldenrod at all, but it makes her think of home anyways. Her Uncle owns a ranch, where she got her first pokemon. Sometimes Sinnoh felt like home, but all jumbled up and out of frequency. The way everything wasn’t quite right, puzzle pieces mashed together to create a completely new thing out of familiar pieces. 

She stumbles on the Solaceon Ruins, before biking down towards Hearthome and tries to imagine what the Ruins of Alph look like. She went there once on a field trip when she was young.  It’s not like she remembers much about the trip, but she does remember there were unknown there. And she does remember how any radio playing in the Ruins of Alph, turns into distorted noise. Morty still talks about it today, how the noise could be distorted version of Ho-Oh’s cries. She wonders if these two ruins and their Unknown are connected.

She clicks on the radio, starting intensely at the writing on the walls.

Sinnoh Sound continues playing a melodious hum. 

“ _ Lame _ !” She pushes the off button in a huff; if there was a tremor in the ground, or a hum in the air Whitney doesn’t feel it all.

 

. 

 

Hearthome City takes her breath away. It’s not as big as Jubilife, but it’s sprawling all on it’s own with the kinds of buildings that she has never seen before. It’s the kind of city where someone should be able to fall in love. Whitney doesn’t have a crush or anything, even though she does find Bruno’s muscles to be quite dreamy. 

The city is dreamy too. A super contest hall marks the city, and she snaps a picture to send to Jasmine.  There is a sweet scent in the air, on that makes all exhales blossom into a delighted smile. The Poffin House calls her name, and she grabs some snacks for Amity Square. It’s nothing at all like the National Park, a lot more controlled in way that has Whitney fuming. 

_ “This is absolute injustice! Where are the riots! It’s not even like a baby pokemon park if they allow Torterras but not Wigglytuff? Milktanks! Jasmine told me that her Steelix won the cutest pokemon and Amity Square still didn’t let her in! Amity Square, more like Animosity Square, you feel me???” _

She wanted to leave immediately, scorned by this travesty. In many ways Hearthome city, underneath it’s pretty exterior felt a lot like Goldenrod— it’s the center of the region, the heart of it. But as night falls, the city looks as cold as the weather makes it feel. She finds herself in the Foreign Culture Building, it’s a stunning building: the stained glass even glimmers in the moonlight, and when it’s bells tow— it doesn’t sound the way bells do at home. Somehow a lot more somber.

Whitney sits on the pew and hits record.

_ Sent: [Attached: Recording of the Foreign Culture Building’s Bells] _

There is a rustling of a dress behind her. Fantina comes to sit next her, and Whitney tries very hard to remember how to breathe. Every bit as glamorous as she appears on television, Fantina sits by her with elegance, and a kind grin. “ _ Bonjour _ .”

“Hello.” Whitney squeaks, maybe a bit starstruck. The ghost type gym leader giggles. She’s statuesque and a seriously powerful trainer and contestant. The kind of glitz, glamour and power that Whitney wants.

“Jasmine mentioned you’d be visiting.”

Whitney’s eyes widen.

“Since I came to this country, always I try to learn new things. They hold Contests in this city? I say to myself,  _ enfin _ , I will excel. That is why I dress this way. C'est une performance! Also, I study Pokémon very much. I have come to be Gym Leader.”

“A double threat.” Whitney agrees.

“You are, how do you say, très fantastique! Pokeathlon airs here sometimes. You do so amazing with your pokemon. You run, run, run and I dance, dance, dance. Very similar!”

“I also play softball too,” Whitney admits quietly, preening under the praise. 

“ _ Ooh la la la _ , a triple threat!”

_ Sent: [Attached: a selfie with both Fantina and Whitney] _

 

.

 

She’s not a fan of the marshes. They don’t have marshes like these at home, so Whitney scuttles through the land and Pastoria City a lot slower than she’d like. Beyond a quick greeting towards Crasher Wake, she didn’t want to stay for long— choosing to head past it all towards Lake Variety and closer towards Sunnyshore. 

There’s an extravagant hotel here, with a lakeside view. Valor Lakefront seems like nothing more, but the perfect reprise from a good part of the journey. It’s beautiful and stunning, but she finds herself feeling restless here. It’s a lovely plush bed, but it’s not her  _ comfy _ plush bed. 

She checks out the very next day, pushing herself towards Sunnyshore. She’s never seen a city like this before, with these glassy elevated walkways all across town. It’s delightful stepping across them, and she can’t help but go to the lighthouse immediately. There’s a telescope by it, and she immediately tries to point it towards Olivine City. 

Later, she heads towards the gym. It’s in a constant state of remodelling, from what the locals tell her. She finds Volkner outside of the gym, however, gazing out towards the sea. He looks very Lighthouse Cinematique with his hair blowing in the wind and a pensive gaze. He’s totally Jasmine’s type. The letter in her bag labelled for Volkner burns hot with Jasmine’s feelings, while Volkner just looks burned out. 

When she hands him the letter, he draws a quick breath as he takes it from her. Gently, he places the letter in the coat pocket. Whitney thinks about how even though Jasmine isn’t here, she still feels like she is third wheeling hard on a Emotional Moment. 

“So, um, you’re remodeling the gym, huh?”

“Something is missing.” 

“Is it Jasmine?” Whitney blurts out.

Whitney bites her cheek at his expression. 

“You know, when I left I thought something was missing, too.”

“Did you find it?”

“Not at all!” She says, bleary eyed and red-faced. Volkner looks at loss when he looks at her. “It’s so unfair sometimes! But that’s why you have the sea, to have a good cry. Sometimes I go to Olivine just to have a good cry. It’s a lot more freeing by the sea.”

She gives him a smile.

Volkner doesn’t really say anything to that. 

She takes the ferry back home. 

.

 

**part three: at sea**

 

It isn’t until the ferry is well into the sea, and Sunnyshore is just a spec into the distance that Whitney lets herself cry. A part of Whitney wants to go back, look harder for the shine that she so desperately wants to find. Maybe it was up north Snowpoint, or maybe it’s in Veilstone City. Maybe Whitney should have taken Gardenia’s offer towards the Villas or even ventured toward the Battle Frontier. 

It probably wouldn’t be there either, no matter how much she willed it. Law of Attraction can be such a lie sometimes. Maybe this is something bigger than the Law of Attraction, beyond whatever cosmic powers can do? 

Whitney rubs her eyes. She doesn’t know how she would be feeling, but she felt like she would feel more than just another trainer. Gardenia told her that too, that outside the gym they are all just another trainer. 

She still doesn’t really get it, but she knows Gardenia found comfort in that thought. A lot of champions do too, she thinks about Red wandering the regions, and how Lance does as well. 

The light of Olivine’s beacon glimmers in the water, and Whitney snaps a picture of it. 

_ Sent: [Attached: A photo of the Olivine lighthouse beacon.] _

 

.

 

**part four: home**

 

Whitney arrives on the dock of Olivine City. Jasmine is the one waiting for her, and Whitney doesn’t hesitate in running towards the older girl, pulling their hands together in welcome. Jasmine looks delighted, but that quickly morphs into a face of concern at Whitney’s red rimmed eyes. 

“No, don’t worry! I just missed everyone too much.” Whitney says. “I gave him your letter, too. I didn’t forget.”  Somehow it feels ugly to admit her own frustration in not being able to find herself, when Jasmine so clearly did. As they head back, Jasmine looks at her unbelieving. Whitney’s never been good at hiding her feelings, so it comes pouring out. 

When it’s finished, Jasmine pulls her close and her voice is soft. There isn't any hurt in her eyes, just sorrow. Whitney doesn't know which is worse. 

“I didn’t find myself there either, y’know.”

“But Volkner…”

“Finding him, doesn’t mean I found myself.” Jasmine looks ahead. 

“I don’t think he’s properly found himself yet, either.” Whitney says. “I think your letter will help, though.”

Jasmine smiles and squeezes Whitney’s hand. Whitney squeezes back.

 

.

 

“I see you came back from your ship of stardom.” Morty says. It’s not often that he comes down to visit, but it seems as if her homecoming has brought her some friends. Somehow back in Goldenrod, Whitney finds herself feeling more and more herself each day. 

“It turns out my star burns brightest when I’m at home, who knew?”

Morty doesn’t reply.

The radio fills their ears and Whitney leans back, being lulled by the familiar voices on the radio.

“Sinnoh seems like it would be a region for you. Ghosts, a haunted chateau and creepy ruins. Not to mention that church. Too bad for you, they already got a super cool ghost type gym leader there already.”

“It wasn’t the region for you?”

Whitney’s smile falls. “I can’t find what I was really looking for there.”

Morty glances up at her, startled. 

A pause.

And then, an admission.

“I can’t find what I’m looking for either. That’s what happens when you chase rainbows, I guess.” 

Whitney thinks about Morty, and a childhood of myths and legends and a legendary rainbow colored pokemon that comes down towards powerful trainers. She thinks about how he walks the trail to the Bell tower, and how he managed to catch sightings of some of the legendary beasts. 

She pokes his shoulder. “But we can still chase, right? Chase and chase, and eventually we might find ourselves new future.”

Morty lets out a small smile. 

Whitney beams back. 

**Author's Note:**

> hello again sasspan!! i hope you enjoy this fic! i hope you enjoy this! i wanted to connect two of your prompts together, and i hope it turned into something you loved. i tried to write this fic in so many ways, but somehow it didn't feel right writing this fic without whitney as a protagonist. oh gosh there are a gazillion things i want to say about this fic, but my brain can't even think right now 
> 
> just know i just kept having to remind myself this is a secret stantler bc your thoughts on pokemon worldbuilding were so exciting and something i really never considered, and just thank you for opening my eyes!!
> 
> i named the fic chasing rainbows bc whitney is forever chasing the impossible and then i realized that morty is chasing after ho-oh and im just [screaming_cat.png]
> 
> (in hindsight, i realized that morty and whitney wouldn't be allowed in the bell tower...but shh....)


End file.
